All mechanical water meters have a maximum continuous flow rate and a maximum intermittent flow rate. The maximum continuous flow rate is the maximum flow rate the meter can continuously withstand without becoming inaccurate and/or otherwise being damaged due to excessive flow. Maximum intermittent flow rates refer to what flow rates can be tolerated for relatively short periods of time only.
Right sizing determinations often involve using a calibrated meter, i.e., a meter that has been tested for accuracy, connected to a data logger. In such applications, flow meters are generally connected to data loggers using high-resolution pulsers capable of producing up to a few hundred pulses for every gallon flowing through the meter. With such configuration, a utility is able to collect accurate data regarding peak and low flow rates encountered over selected time periods. Using such collected data, a utility can then compare the collected flow data with known meter specifications.
If the meter is too big for the application, a smaller, less costly meter can be used that will record water volumes at low flow rates more accurately. On the other hand, if the meter is too small, the meter may be damaged, or otherwise rendered at least partially inaccurate, due to flow rates being too high.
Exemplary previously known water meters associated with encoder-receiver-transmitter (ERT) devices and employed in automatic meter reading (AMR) systems are represented by U.S. Pat. No. 6,262,685 to Welch et al. and U.S. Pat. No. 7,317,404 to Cumeralto et al. both of which are owned by the owner of the present subject matter, and the complete disclosures of which are incorporated herein for all purposes.
While various implementations of water meters have been developed, and while various methodologies have been devised for determining appropriate water meter sizes for particular applications, no design has emerged that generally encompasses all of the desired characteristics as hereafter presented in accordance with the subject technology.